Dancer&#39;s bird tail device



Sept. 9, 1941.

G. E. GOLDEN DANCER'S BIRD TAIL DEVICE 5 Shee ts-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31, 1941 v 25 VV INVOR.I Gear eMdrd 60/8611 Se t. 9, 1941. e. E. GOLDEN I DANCERS BIRD TAIL DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1941 Sept. '9, 1941. G. E. GOLDEN s BIRD TAIL DEVICE DANCER Filed Jan. 31, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 21 INVENTOR. 'mageldfird 60/0 4921 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN'iOR. BYGGaIgPZWJIJ 50/0? G. E. GOLDEN DANCERS BIRD TAIL DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1941 Sept. 9, 1941.

Sept. 1941- G. E. GOLDEN 2,255,111

DANCERS BIRD TAIL DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I a: INVENTOR. i

.h W1 (A M 1 Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES.

' PATENT OFFICE 16 Claims.

This invention relates to a device adapted to be worn by a dancer for simulating, in both appearance and action, the tail of a bird, such as a peacock.

invention to provide a dancer's personal prop having bird-tail characteristics and capable of being readily and easily manipulated by the dancer for creating original aesthetic terpsicho-' rean eflects. And in this aspect of my invention it is an important object to enable the actuating portion of the device to be conveniently carried by the dancer and so positioned upon her as to be unexposed to view.

It is another object of this invention to enable expansible fan-like bird-tails of various designs to be detachably' secured to and operatively associated with my invention.

Another object of my invention is to enablethe particular bird-tail employed with my invention to be, at the will of the dancer, movably actuated from a horizontal to a vertical position in either expanded or contracted condition. And in this aspect of my invention it is a further oblect to enable the tail to be held locked in either of said positions so as to enable the dancer to go through certain predetermined steps without displacing the tan from its set position.

It is within the further contemplation of this invention to enable the device to be manipulated, both manually and by certain bodily movements, so as to bring the tail into various predetermined positions either in its contracted. fully expanded or partially expanded conditions, in either horizontal, vertical or intermediate positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of this category with balancing means of such a nature as to enable the tail to be delicately supported in any position, whereby any movement of the dancer will cause the tail to be raised or lowered by the action of the air thereagainst.

Another object of this invention is to enable the tail-supporting member to be firmly and quickly attached, and readily detached, from the body of the dancer.-

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the invention applied to the body of a dancer, the dotdash lines indicating several possible Positions of the bird-tail.

It is primarily within the contemplation of my Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1, showing the tail partially spread.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the tail-supporting mem- 5 her, and of a portion of the tail, showing'a pocket thereof disposed over one of the radial tail-ribs.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the device of my invention shown in its locked position with the tail portion horizontally disposed, the dot-dash lines showing the tail-supporting member in another position.

Figure 5 is a front view of the device of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is ure 4.

Figure '7 is a rear view of the device of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side view of the releasable retaining means for the retracting elastics, shown in its supporting position.

t Figure 9 is a fragmentary rear view of the device of- Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a perspective of the corset worn by the dancer and upon which the device is adapted to be supported.

Figure 11 is a bottom view of the device of my invention in the position of Figure 6.

Figure 12 is a bottom view of the left latch for holding the tail-support in its horizontal posia plan view of the device of Fig- 30 tion, the latch being shown in its released po sition.

Figure 13 is a front view of the bird-tail in its vertical and expanded position, shown in relation to the dancer.

Figure 14 is a rear view of the device of my invention with the left latch released and the tail member in its vertical position.

Figure 15 is a plan view of thedevice with both latches released and the tail-supporting member held down in its horizontal position by the weight of the tail feathers.

The preferred form of my invention as illustrated in the drawings contains a vertical and preferably stationary support or back rest 20 adapted to be positioned and supported upon the back of the dancer in a manner to be hereinafter described. Pivotally secured to the lower portion of .support 20 at pivot 2| is the movable tailsupporting member 22 adapted to detachably support the tail 23. The said support 20 is supported by the corset 24 suitably reinforced with ribs 2li and containing a brace 26 provided. with two hooks 21. The support 20 is hung upon the said hooks 21, through the apertures 28-the support further containing the cushions or pads 23 and 33 adapted to rest against the back and buttocksof the dancer, respectively. The support is firmly held in place upon the hooks by the spring latches 32; and by releasing such latches, the support and appurtenances can be readily removed.

'ner illustrated in Figures 2 and 13.

The tail proper 23 is shown as being of weblike structure, the webs 31 being of limp or flexible material. The tail also contains a plurality f tubular members or pockets 38 extending radially andlongitudinally thereof and disposed at 20 the lateral edges of the tail and between the said webs thereof. The pockets 33 are adapted to be slipped over the said ribs 33, whereupon the entire tall 23 may be supported by the ribs which in turn are supported by the sockets or retaining 25 members 34 of member 22. To hold the tail 23 against detachment, hooks 33 are provided adapted to be releasably anchored upon securing elements such as ring 43 attached to member 22 (Figure 3).

The socket members 34 are, as aforesaid, pivotally mounted, whereby they may be moved in arcuate paths along a plane parallel to and between the plates 3i and 32. The said sockets 34 are preferably so disposed as to extend rearwardly in radial directions, so that upon an operative arcuate movement of the said sockets, the tail will be accordingly expanded or contracted. It is also apparent that if the extreme lateral or end sockets 4| are operatively moved outwardly, the other intermediate sockets will be correspondingly moved along arcuate paths, in view of the fact that the connecting webs 31 and the pockets 38 constitute a unitary structure whereby a movement of one of the ribs 36 will be transmitted to the other ribs.

Aflixed to the support 20 are the two horizontally disposed brackets 42 each carrying a stop pin 43 adaptedto extend through the apertures 44 and 45 in the plates 3| and 32, respectively, when member 22 i in its lowered horizontal position. When the socket members 34 are operatively brought between the said apertures and tail-supporting member 22 is lowered, the sockets will be confined between the stops 43 and the tail 23 will accordingly be maintained in its contracted condition. When the member 22 is raised, the sockets will obviously be free to move outwardly and the tail expanded. It is to be further noted, however, that if any of the socket members 34 should be disposed laterally beyond the stops 43, the tail will be correspondingly in expanded condition even when the member 22 is down.

The tail-supporting member 22 has attached thereto a pair of releasable resilient members or elastics 41, the-lower portions being preferably permanently amxed to hooks 48 and the upper portions detachably secured to the hooked end portions 49 of shaft 50 rotatively mounted within bearing members secured to the top of member 20. The said hooked ends 49 hold the elastics 41 against detachment while in their upturned forwardly to a downwardly extending position,

the elastics become automatically detachedall in a manner to be more fully hereinafter de-.- scribed. The said elastics 41, when in their at- 5 tachedpositions, urge the member 22 upwardly to its vertical or retracted position. This upward-action is augmented by the spring 32 which also urges member 22 upwardly.

Pivotally mounted upon the support 23 is the flap member 53 yieldably urged against the upper plate 3| of member-22 by spring I4, the flap being held in its upright retracted position against support'2l by the releasable latch member 33 to be hereinafter described. It is preferred that springs 52 and 54 be of such resilient properties as to practically counterbalance each other-although it is to be understood that the tension of these springs may, if necessary, be varied in accordance with the weight of tail 23 or other factors which might tend to unbalance the struc ture. when the elastic members 41 are operatively detached, in the manner to be hereinafter described. the member 22 will, under the influence of the weight of the tail 23, be lowered until \it assumes a horizontal position, the dancer being able to retard the downward pivotal movement of said member 22 by a rearward movement so as to enable the air to provide a slightly upward lift against the underside of the tail. Where the o particular tail employed happens to be too heavy to permit a gradual downward movement of said member 22, one or more supplementary elastics 56 anchored between members 2|! and 22 may be employed whereby the upward pull of such elas- 5 tics partially off-sets the gravitational effect upon the tail.

The tail-holding member 22 is releasably held in its horizontal position by latch member 31 which, in the form thereof illustrated. is rotatively mounted on shaft 33 supported by bracket 39. The underside of member 51 is provided with a curved surface 63 engaging the lower plate 32. Inasmuch as the\member 22 is normally urged upwardly as aforesaid, said lower plate 32 would,

in engagingsaid surface 63, cause it to rotate horizontally about its axis, and thereby be retracted from its locking position. In order to maintain the latch 51 in its locking position, the

locking element ii, pivotally mounted on shaft 62, is manually swung into pressing engagement with the rear of latch member 51, thereby frictionally holding it in its projected locking position. To effect an unlocking thereof, the string 63 is pulled by the dancer, thereby causing a r0- tational movement of lock 6|, whereupon the latch 51 is forced into its retracted position by plate 32 which moves upwardly under the influence of the elastic members 41 and the other yieldable members operatively associated therewith, as aforesaid.

65 string 65, the lock 64 is rotatively moved out of engagement with latch 55 which is accordingly rotatively retracted by the downward movement of flap 53 under the influence of spring 54.

It will be observed that the said flap 53 has attached thereto the cable 36 which is attached to pulley 61 at 68. When the flap 53 is in its vertical or locked position, th shaft 53, upon which pulley 61. is fixedly mounted, is in such position that the hooks 43 are upwardly dispo it o bu w t ey are ope a i y ot ted p sed, so that the elastic members 41 are held thereupon by the links is. However, when the flap i3 is released by latch I5. its downward movement will carry with it the said cable 66, thereby causing the pulley 81 to rotate and produce a corresponding rotation of shaft 50 until the hooks 49 are downwardly disposed. In this position, the links 69 will become disengaged from hooks 49. and the elastics 41 will consequently become disconnected from the support 2|, whereupon it will no longer tend to urge member 22 upwardly.

The tubular socket retainers 34 are partially controlled by a pulley system comprising two cables II and II, pulleys I2, l3, l4, l5, l6 and II. The said cables Ill and II are connected at the rear of member 20 by a link member 18 to a member I9 suspended from support 20 at 80; and the forward terminals of said two cables 10 and LI are connected to the end sockets 4| as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 11. In the structure shown, the cables pass through apertures 83 and 84 of plate 32 in connecting up with the various pulleys. When the member 22 is operatively moved downwardly, the forward portions of cables 10 and II will be correspondingly carried upwardly a short distance, thereby causing an outward movement of the tubular sockets 4| and a consequent spreading and expansion of the entire tail. The resilient member 19 aids in producing a safe and effective pull upon said end sockets 4l,'its action being indicated in Figure 5.

In operatively employing this device. the corset 24 is firmly afiixed to the dancer in conventional manner, and the apparatus placed upon the hooks 21 as aforesaid. The dancer is obviously supplied with plumage or other drapes to completely hide the mechanism. In the initial setting 01' the device, the tail-holding member 22 is brought down to its horizontal position, and maintained in such position by means of the latch member II. The pressing member 53 is brought into its vertical position and maintained therein by latch member 55. The elastic members 41 are placed upon shaft 50 and the shaft rotated until the hook members 49 are in their upper position as indicated in Figures 8 and 9. It should be noted that the pulley 61 is held releasably locked in such position by spring detent 8| bearing up against a co-acting recess in the pulley-the detent being capable only ot holding the pulley in its retracted position when the flap 53 is raised. In starting it is preferred, although not absolutely essential, that the socket members 34 and associated tail be in their respective contracted positions between stop pins.43. Inasmuch as the tail is horizontally disposed, it is obvious that the dancer will be able to make her entrance upon the stage through the wings without diflicult'y. The dancer may hold the two strings 63 and 65 in both hands upon entering the stage, or she may later grasp them for suitable manipulation.

With the device set as above described, the dancer is free to go through her terpsichorean gyrations without encumbrance, and is likewise capable of manually spreading or contracting the tail within the physical limitations or the structure. The skilled dancer, experienced in the operative use of this device, can by suitable hip movements cause the tall by its own inertia or momentum to spread or contract, this action being aided by suitable manual manipulation to produce beautiful aesthetic results.

To bring the tail to a vertical position, the dancer pulls string 63, as aforesaid, whereupon member 22 will be urged upwardly under the inward movement, however, is retarded by the.

weight of the tail, and can be further retarded by a slightly forward movement of the dancer whereupon the wind pressure upon the upper surface of the tail will produce a counter-balancing efiect. When the tail is in the upp r position. the end socket members 4| will be pulled outwardly by the pulley system above described. thereby causing a spreading of the tail somewhat in the manner illustrated in Figure 13. It is to be observed that the retardation of the downward spreading movement of the socket members 24 can be accomplished by the action of the air against the webs of the tail upon a proper forward or rearward movement oi the dancer. In this position the dancer can go through her steps to produce further pleasing effects with the tail in its fully expanded and upright position.

The tail will remain in a vertical position until the dancer pulls string 65, whereupon the latch is retracted-and flap 52 released. When this occurs. the said flap 53, under the influence of spring 54, will press down upon upper plate 22 thereby counter-balancing the action of spring 52 tending to urge the member 22 into its upward position. It will be observed that when flap 52 is moved downwardly, the-hooks 49, in the manner above described, will be turned downwardly to enable the elastics to become disengaged, so that only the said spring 52 tends to urge the member 22 upwardly. It is thus apparent that in this condition the entire member 22 may be delicately balanced; and it is preferred that the tail and balancing mechanism be so adjusted that the tail will gradually assume a horizontal position, moving downwardly under the influence of the weight of the tail 23. As above indicated. if it is found that the particular tail employed is too heavy for this efl'ect, the elastic means 56 may be employed to retard the drop-the downward movement being capable of further retardation by a rearward movement of the dancer, in

the manner above described.

When the apparatus is in this balanced condition, the dancer will be readily able to raise or lower the tail either manually, or by wind pressure upon forward and rearward movements during the course of her dance. Various aesthetic effects can thus be produced with the apparatus in this position. It will further be observed that the dancer will be able to make her exit when both latches are in released condition, inasmuch as the tail can be disposed horizontally and contracted so as to enable egress through an exit of restricted proportions.

It is of course understood that the embodiment of my invention above described and shown in the drawings is merely illustrative of my invention, and that numerous changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a dancers device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment against the back of the dancer, a tail member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, releasable yieldable means urging said member upwardly to saidvertical position, releasable yieldable means urging said member downwardly to said horizontal posi- 4 2,2,111 tion, and releasable latch means {or holding said member locked in either or said positions.

2. In adancer's device of the class described, a

substantially vertical support adapted tor-attachment against the back oi" the dancer, a tail hold-- ing member pivotally attached 'tothe' support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, releasable yieldable means urging said member upwardly to said vertical position, releasable yieldable means urging said member downwardly to said horizontal posi-, tion, a-tail attached to said holding member urging'the member downwardly under the influence of its weight, resilient balancing means urging the saidmember upwardly against the actionof said tail, and means for releasably holding said member locked in either or said limiting positions. I

3. In a dancer's'device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted ior attachment against the back of the dancer, a tail holding member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horiport and at theother end to at least one of the two laterally extreme rib members, whereby upon an upward movement oithe tail member the saidextreme rib memberswill be pulled .outwardly by the cable means and the tail accordingly expanded.

7. In a dancer's device oi the class described,-

a-substantiaily vertical support adapted ionattachment to the body or the dancer, a-tail holding member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting posit-ions, a plurality of tubm lar sockets pivotallyfmounted upon said member, and a tail comprising a plurality of ribs and connecting webs oi limp material, the innermost portions of said-ribs-being in frictional engage- 'ment with and supported by said sockets, where zontal limiting positions, a tail attached to said 4. In a dancer's device of the class described, a

substantially vertical support adapted iorattachment against the back or the dancer, a pad member secured to the support and adapted for abutment against the dancer's back, and an expansi-. ble tail member mounted upon said support, said member containing a plurality of radial rib members the inner portions or which are pivotally mounted and movable along arcuate paths, said rib members being joined by connecting members, whereby the tail will expand or contract in ran-like manner upon being actuated by the bodily movements of the dancer transmitted through said pad member and support.

5. In a dancer's device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attach ment to the body of the dancer, an expansible tail member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, said member containing a plurality of radial rib members the inner portions of which are pivotally mounted and movable along arcuate paths to permit an operative expansion and contraction or the tail member, a plurality of stops secured to said support and extending between said rib members when the tail member is in its horizontal position, whereby the path of certain of said rib members will be intercepted and the rib members prevented from movement therebeyond.

6. In a dancer's device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted ior attachment to the body of the dancer, an expansible tail member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, said member containing a plurality of radial rib members the inner portions of which are pivotally mounted and movable along arcuate paths, said rib members being joined by connecting members, and cable means secured at one end to the supupon an operative pivotal movement of the kets the tail will correspondingly expand or contract. I a

8. In a dancers'device of the class described,

"a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment to the body of the dancer, a tail mem-- 'ber pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizon-' tal .limitiiig positions, resilient means urgingsaid member upwardly towardsits vertical position, a pivotally mounted pressing member. secured to said support and adapted for downward pressing engagement with said tail member, yieldable means urging said pressing member against said tail member. towards its said horizontal position, and releasable locking means for holding said tail member in its horizontal position and-said pressing member out of pressing engagement with-the tall member, respectively. 9. In a dancers device of the'class described,

. a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment. t6 the body of the dancer, a tall member pivotally. attached to the .supportand movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, resilient means urging said member upwardly towards its vertical position, a pivotally mounted pressing member secured to said support and adapted for downward pressing engagement with said tail member, yieldable' means urging said pressing member against said tail member towards its said horizontal position, and releasable latch members associated with said tail and said pressing members for holding the former in its horizontal position and the latter out'oi engagement with the tail member, said latch members each comprising a retractible latch, a movable lock member for frictionally holding the latch in looking position, and manual means manipulable by the dancer for operatively disengaging the lock from the latch to permit its retraction.

10. In a dancer's device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment to the body of the dancer, a tail member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, resilient means urging said member upwardly towards its vertical position,

yieldable means urging said tail member d0wnable between substantially vertical and ho s tal limiting positions, resilient means urging said member upwardly towards its vertical position,'a pivotally mounted pressing member secured to said support and adapted for downward pressing engagement with said tail member, yieldable means urging said pressing member against said tail member towards its said horizontal position, releasable locking means for holdirg said tail member in its horizontal position and said pressing member out of pressing engagement with the tail member, respectively, the said resilient means including a detachable resilient element connecting the said support to said tail member, and releasable anchoring means for detachably holding said resilient element, said anchoring means being movably mounted upon the support and connected to said pressing member, whereby upon an operative release of the pressing member the anchoring means will be movably actuated to release the said resilient element.

12. In a dancers device of the class described,

a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment to the body of the dancer, a tail member pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, resilient means urging said member upwardly towards its vertical position, a pivotally mounted pressing member secured to said support and adapted for downward pressing engagement with said tail member, yieldable means urging said pressing member against said tail member towards its said horizontal position, releasable locking means for holding said tail member in its horizontal position and said pressing member out or pressing engagement with the tail member, respectively, the said resilient means including a detachable resilient element connecting the said support to said tail member, and releasable anchoring means for detachably holding said resilient element, said anchoring means including a shaft rotatably mounted on the support, hooked means on the shaft detachably supporting said resilient element, a pulley aflixed to the shaft, and a cable extending from the pulley to said pressing member, whereby upon an operative release of the pressing member the said cable will be carried downwardly to operatively rotate the shaft and release the resilient element from the said hooked means.

13. In a dancers device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment against the back of the dancer, a tail holding member containing a substantially flat plate pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, a plurality of rib-retaining members pivotally attached to the plate and movable in arcuate paths in a plane parallel to the plate, a tail comprising a plurality of ribs and connecting web portions, the ribs being in frictional engagement with and supported by said retaining members, said plate having an apertured portion adjacent the said retaining members, and an upstanding pin stop secured to said support and extending upwardly through said apertured portion 01 the plate when in its horizontal position and in intercepting relation to the path of travel of the retaining members.

and movable in arcuate paths 'in a plane parallel to the plate, a tail comprising a plurality of ribs and connecting web portions, the ribs being in frictional engagement with and supported by said retaining members, said plate having an apertured portion adjacent the said retaining members, a resilient member attached to the support, pulley means associated with the support and the plate, and cable means coacting with said pulley means and connecting said resilient member with the two opposite and laterally extreme retaining members, whereby upon an upward movement of the said plate the said retaining members will be pulled outwardly by the cable means and the tail accordingly expanded.

15. In a dancer's device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment against the back of the dancer, a tail holding member containing two spaced parallel flat plates pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horiaontal limiting positions, a plurality of rib-retaining members disposed between the plates and pivotally attached to and movable in arcuate paths between the plates, a tail comprising a plurality of ribs and connecting web portions, the ribs being in frictional engagement with and supported by said retaining members, a resilient member attached to the support, pulley means associated with the support and the plates, and cable means coacting with said pulleymeans and connecting said resilient member with the two opposite and laterally extreme retaining members, whereby upon an upward movement of the said plates, the said retaining members will be pulled outwardly by the cablemeans and the tail accordingly expanded. a

16. In a dancer's device of the class described, a substantially vertical support adapted for attachment against the back or the dancer, a tail holding member containing two spaced parallel flat plates pivotally attached to the support and movable between substantially vertical and horizontal limiting positions, a plurality oi rib-retaining members disposed between the plates and pivotally attached to and movable in arcuate paths between the plates, a tail comprising a plurality oi ribs and connecting web portions, the ribs being in frictional engagement with and supported by said retaining members, one 01 said plates having an apertured portion, a resilient member attached to the support, a plurality of pulleys attached to the support and the plates, and cable means extending from said resilient member, over said pulleys, through said apertured portion to the two'opposite and laterally extreme retaining members, whereby upon an up. ward movement of the said plates the said retained members will be pulled outwardly by the cable means and the tail accordingly expanded.

GEORGE nnwsnn GOLDEN. 

